RMWeb Modular Meet 2 - Hampshire - NOW CANCELLED

[cromptonnut]

Good morning all

 

Just wondering if I could get a quick update on everyone's modules, as to ensure that everything is still going to plan and that we will have enough modules available to make the event worthwhile.

 

Progress has been slow my end partly due to the weather and partly due to some family health issues.  But I'm plodding on and should have something to contribute somehow anyway.

 

Many thanks

 

'Nut.

[Zomboid]

Not much to update scenically, but I already know that it works as a model railway so I'm pretty relaxed...

[Joseph_Pestell]

Not much progress here. But it was always my plan to build in January and February when there is less happening work wise.

[Satan's Goldfish]

I got my 2x TH boards out of the shed, Got 1x end fixed on the 1 that wasn't completed, should fit the other end this weekend... no track or leccy bits fitted yet... and I still haven't sent you a form for the event... so yeah, doing well

[Chimer]

I suppose this counts as progress …..

 

 

Don't expect much more will happen this side of Christmas.  But do you want me to build it as a link to your fiddle yard ("Fiddleton Approach", see about 6 posts back) or stick to a scenic "Pendle Meadows" as per first thoughts?  Happy to do either ….

 

Edited to ask (after futile attempts to search for the answer) what size wire I should use for the main bus?  I am thinking of using Scotchlok (suitcase) connectors to connect the droppers so want droppers and bus wires to be compatible if possible. Thanks ...  

 

Chris

Edited December 3, 2018 by Chimer

[cromptonnut]

Well any progress is good - and even if it's a straight, single track that's better than nothing as it increases the space between other things.

 

For bus wire, I simply use mains rated wire as you might find on an extension lead.  I've got a roll of 2 core with outer which I picked up from an electrical shop, or stripped out 3 core (or ignore the third wire) is just as good.  I've used that for some longer runs of cable to "boost" along 20ft or so so if there are 4 or 5 modules all with connectors then you can bypass those and avoid any voltage drop, although I seem to recall at meeting 1 with our 50ft end to end fed from one end there was minimum voltage drop over the entire length.

[cromptonnut]

Gentlemen,

 

We are soon approaching the point where we need to be sure that we have sufficient progress made to have enough boards ready to make the meet a success.

 

I know my progress has been somewhat lacking, to the point of embarrassment, so I was wondering how everyone else is doing.

 

'Nut

[PaulRhB]

Well my US modules are available to fill gaps and all ready to go.

[Satan's Goldfish]

My straight board now has 2 ends fitted .......

 

Won't take long to do track and electrics so I can bring a 4ft straight and 45 degree curve without an issue. Just need you to send me the booking forms nut.

[Zomboid]

I haven't done a thing since I last used the module, but no reason to think it will have stopped working.

 

Scenics aren't exactly progressing at the moment.

[markw]

Nowhere Tunnel baseboards and legs are all built, track is laid and ballasted on the scenic section into the tunnel. Just need to lay the track on the non scenic loop section.

[cromptonnut]

Scenery is secondary, the main thing is track down and powered, even if points are still "poke to change"

[Chimer]

No progress since post #230, but kicking myself daily about doing nothing, so watch this space ….

 

Chris

[Joseph_Pestell]

Scenery is secondary, the main thing is track down and powered, even if points are still "poke to change"

 

Digital control.

[BlueLightning]

Nut,

 

In theory Hailsham works, I have run trains on each board, but not while they are joined together, hopefully I'll get a chance this weekend.

 

Point motors are fitted and change frog polarity, but they are still push to switch as the rest of the wiring is not finished!

 

I will return paperwork once I know it all works

 

Gary

[Satan's Goldfish]

Universal legs now fitted too they were the right height for the first meet so they should be ok, but I think my own build baseboards had slightly thick tops so I'm hoping there's enough adjustability in the feet to compensate. It's tough to measure on a thick carpet though.

 

 

 

Those Tim Horn boards come with some useful info on... I hadn't realised the curve was at a 4ft radius!

 

 

 

Do I go with a smooth 4ft following the line, or do I add straights to the ends and go with a 3ft curve to break up the uniformity of the trains running along the centres of most of the boards?...

Edited January 20, 2019 by Satan's Goldfish

[Joseph_Pestell]

Well, I am now back from 3 weeks of diy at the house in France and ready to make a start, albeit that there is also quite a lot of "day job" stuff to be done. Remembered to bring back the quality jigsaw (Bosch Professional).

 

Aim to do the simple modules first and get them up and running before moving onto the 4-module station boards. As originally proposed, the station is straight tracks through but I do think it would look much better on a slight curve (like Pulborough which it is based on). I wonder if that would create too many problems in setting out the hall?

 

Also, a reminder please, are double track sections wired as two zones or just one? This will be first real acquaintance with DCC apart from operating other folks' layouts. I may wire it conventionally anyway with a changeover switch for DCC.

[cromptonnut]

 

Aim to do the simple modules first and get them up and running before moving onto the 4-module station boards. As originally proposed, the station is straight tracks through but I do think it would look much better on a slight curve (like Pulborough which it is based on). I wonder if that would create too many problems in setting out the hall?

 

Straight or curved boards are fine, as long as I know the accurate measurements I can make it all fit nicely into the arrangement - although in a tight space the few inches of the curve might make a difference, in the area we have it's a section of a much larger hall so a few inches (or feet) beyond our actual boundary shouldn't cause any issues.

 

 

Also, a reminder please, are double track sections wired as two zones or just one? This will be first real acquaintance with DCC apart from operating other folks' layouts. I may wire it conventionally anyway with a changeover switch for DCC.

 

Normally all tracks are wired together on DCC, but if you want to wire it in a "conventional manner" that's fine as you can just turn all sections on and fed from the DCC power feed at a meet.  As long as we can plug in the banana plugs from the DCC power bus along the "layout" into your control panel then all is well, theoretically

[Zomboid]

The American modules are internally wired as a single zone. Multiple zones can be set up at the actual meets using the joins between modules as the breaks, but I doubt we'll be doing anything like that yet.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Universal legs now fitted too they were the right height for the first meet so they should be ok, but I think my own build baseboards had slightly thick tops so I'm hoping there's enough adjustability in the feet to compensate. It's tough to measure on a thick carpet though.

 

20190120_134706.jpg

 

20190120_134717.jpg

 

Those Tim Horn boards come with some useful info on... I hadn't realised the curve was at a 4ft radius!

 

20190120_134852.jpg

 

20190120_134902.jpg

 

Do I go with a smooth 4ft following the line, or do I add straights to the ends and go with a 3ft curve to break up the uniformity of the trains running along the centres of most of the boards?...

 

That curved board looks good.

 

Does TH supply the ply already curved or do you have to bend it to shape yourself?

[Chimer]

Those Tim Horn boards come with some useful info on... I hadn't realised the curve was at a 4ft radius!

 

 

Mine didn't 

[franciswilliamwebb]

Those Tim Horn boards look interesting, but I can’t match them to anything on his website. Are they special orders or am I just being dense?

[Satan's Goldfish]

That curved board looks good.

 

Does TH supply the ply already curved or do you have to bend it to shape yourself?

  

 

Yes and no... I suspect not usually as he sends them out flat pack... but mine was picked up pre-built. The ply he uses curves easy enough, just clamp it in place with plenty of glue.

 

Those Tim Horn boards look interesting, but I can’t match them to anything on his website. Are they special orders or am I just being dense?

I don't think he lists them as standard range on his website, but if you email him he can churn them out quickly and easily.

[cromptonnut]

Hello all

 

For the last few months, various issues going on in life (including it being -3 in the shed) have made progress on my modelling for the May meet slow to the point of non existance.  Thus many of the modules that I had planned to bring along in May haven't even been started yet, I can probably get the station terminus module and a couple of scenic only filler modules ready but that's about it.

 

Can people please report in with progress on the modules they are committing to have ready by May (not just planned but actually in progress and functional - scenery mostly irrelevant) as I'm beginning to get concerned that we aren't going to have enough bits ready to make a functional arrangement, particularly as in this case it's in a venue open to the public who will have an opportunity to observe and interact with us.  Otherwise If not I'd rather cancel sooner rather than later, so as to avoid embarrassment and reduce stress, and give the October meet as something to look forward to.

 

Many thanks

 

'Nut

[PaulRhB]

I've got two 45deg. corners, the 45 deg junction and the 15ft long fiddleyard (runround and 3 long sidings) available and if needed can bulk it out with the 8 ft long modern warehouse Sunnydale although you don't have details for that yet as I'd need to find a way to shift it as it won't all fit in the car if I bring the warehouse too!